Sebastian Vettel has been forced to wait for his fourth Formula One world championship after Fernando Alonso finished fourth in today’s Japanese Grand Prix, meaning that the title race remains alive heading to the Indian Grand Prix at the end of the month.

The German driver entered the race weekend at Suzuka with a 77 point lead, meaning that if he won the race on Sunday and Fernando Alonso finished ninth or lower, he would clinch his fourth consecutive world championship.

Realistically though, it is merely a matter of time before we are crowning Vettel for the fourth year in a row. He heads to the Indian Grand Prix in two weeks’ time enjoying a 90 point lead with just 100 points remaining, meaning that Alonso must outscore Vettel by at least eleven points at the Buddh International Circuit.

However, the odds are stacked against Alonso, given that he has not won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix back in May and the fact that Vettel has won the last five races and both of the previous Indian Grands Prix. Even before the race this weekend, Alonso admitted that he had turned his attention to the constructors’ championship where Ferrari have become embroiled in a battle for second place along with Mercedes and Lotus.

For Vettel, the fourth title is more of a formality than ever. This run of five consecutive wins has seen his championship lead swell from 38 to 90 points, and it is clear that were are currently witnessing one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport.